


nightmares can't reach past my arms

by natodiangelo



Category: Percy Jackson and the Olympians & Related Fandoms - All Media Types, Percy Jackson and the Olympians - Rick Riordan
Genre: Also fluff, Angst, Fluff and Angst, Hurt/Comfort, M/M, Nightmares
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-02-05
Updated: 2018-02-05
Packaged: 2019-03-13 23:09:58
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 489
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13580886
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/natodiangelo/pseuds/natodiangelo
Summary: Before Nico, Will wasn’t a light sleeper.Now? Things are different.





	nightmares can't reach past my arms

**Author's Note:**

> written for a prompt request on tumblr!! the prompt was: “You’re having a nightmare! It’s not real, I’m here!”
> 
> also the first time ive written solangelo?? i love them so much im surprised it took me so long lol

Before Nico, Will wasn’t a light sleeper. He’d sleep through his siblings arguments and music, because he had learned to. It took nothing less than a natural disaster to wake him.

Now? Things are different.

He doesn’t need sleep through his siblings loud mornings, because more often than not he wakes in the Hades cabin, Nico curled up beside him. And aside from snoring, Nico pretty quiet.

But sometimes - when things are stressful, a quest gone astray or a God in a particularly nasty mood - things aren’t as peaceful.

Nico has nightmares. It took Will awhile to get Nico to open up to him about it, after many nights spent comforting him and listening. But Nico says having Will there makes it better, and we’ll would do anything for Nico, so he stays and sleeps and has learned to pay attention to the signs.

Like now.

Will wakes slowly, groggily; it takes him a minute to be able to open his eyes and another to realize why he’s awake. Nico rolls fitfully back and forth beside him, whimpering softly. His eyebrows are furrowed and his hands hold the blankets in a tight grip. Will’s heart throbs.

He hates seeing Nico like this - Nico, who he loves so dearly, and Nico who has changed so much since theyvfirst met. Hates seeing Nico in any kind of pain at all, though he knows Nico can take it, most of the time. He’s so, so thankful to Apollo for being the god of medicine and healing, so he has some way to help.

Carefully, he places a hand on Nico’s shoulder. “Nico,” he says, not quite a whisper. “Nico, wake up.”

Nico whimpers again, mumbling unintelligibly but concerned.

“Nico, it’s okay. Wake up.”

“It’s - Bianca…”

The sound of Nico’s dead sister’s name makes Will’s chest even tighter.

“It’s just a nightmare,” Will tells him. “You’re having a nightmare. It’s not real.” Nico’s eyes open suddenly, and he looks around frantically, distraught. “I’m here,” Will adds.

Nico’s gaze finally lands on him and his eyes fill with tears. “Will.”

Will pulls him forward and wraps his arms around him, rubbing a comforting hand across his back. “It’s okay,” He murmurs. “It’s not real.”

“She-” Nico hiccups. “She was there, Will. Bianca.”

“I know.”

“She was there, and I- I couldn’t-”

“Shh.” Will tells him. “It’s okay.” Nico nods helplessly against his shoulder.

They don’t move for a while; eventually, Nico relaxes into his hold and the tears dry up, and they lay back against the pillows. Nico holds one hand in a death grip while the other cards through his hair.

“Better?” Will asks him softly. Nico nods.

“Yeah,” He clears his throat. “Thank you.”

“Of course.” Will presses a kiss against his forehead, and another to his lips when Nico tilts his head.

(They fall back asleep eventually and when Will wakes again it’s to the sound of people starting up camp.)


End file.
